Working the Wire, Playoffs Edition: Are You Out or Inman?

by: M@

Congratulations! If you’re reading this you survived the Hunger Games of fantasy football only to begin an even more difficult ascent. It’s like what Maeve must have felt when she saw that ‘SW’ on the wall as she exited to Star Wars style, multi-leveled connecting corridor in the season finale of Westworld. That’s about as spoiler-friendly as I could possibly write that without giving anything away, haha. Point is…now comes the hard part. Now is all that matters. Oh, you finished 9-4 to win the #2 seed and a bye in Round 1? Congratulations. Here’s a LifeSaver to enjoy while you go look at the total points and realize that all four teams under you scored more than you this season. Come Week 15 and Round 2, you’re likely to be in need of a LifeSaver. Fantasy Football is filled with luck (or the lack thereof, like that time when you score the 2nd most points, but miss the playoffs because of Colin Kaepernick ghosting Week 13. I guess that’s what I get after hyping him for a month straight. And don’t talk to me about karma. It doesn’t exist. And don’t worry…I’m not salty about it, either. Hahaha.), so savor that LifeSaver while you can; you may need a real one soon.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

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World Wide FAAB, Week 14: Being Green

by: RotoLance

The season is wrapping up and it’s time to look at that waiver wire one more time. It’s always somewhat of a relief for me when a fantasy sports season ends. No more checking lineups on a daily basis. No more last minute lineup decisions to fret over. Hopefully your playoff teams are in good shape. Many of them aren’t, for example teams with A.J. Green, Rob Gronkowski, Jordan Reed or even Giovani Bernard. Could it be Ladarius Green to the rescue? After a week long hiatus (ooooohh my first time using that word in a blog post) the World Wide FAAB is back with waiver wire advice to help teams in need or teams just looking for a minor upgrade here or there. (And what better way to end this Free Agent Auction Bidding series than on a man named Green..)

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Working the Wire, Week 13: Gotta Say I Told You So

November 29, 2016 | 2016 Fantasy Football, 2016 Waiver Wire | 37 Comments

by: M@

This could go one of two ways. That smug look on Colbert above is one trajectory: pride. Last week’s Working the Waiver, beyond featuring a GIF and link to perhaps the funniest six minutes on the internet (thank you, Eastbound and Down), couldn’t have been more accurate. Okay, fine, it could have been without the Tajae Sharpe egg, but seriously…you could/should have rostered every name on there. But instead of puffing up my #dadbod chest for the masses to gawk over (eat your heart out, Tehol), the prevailing emotion is the second option: desperation. Seriously, I ain’t to proud to beg.

It’s Week 13. For all you non-math majors, that’s a bakers dozen. And in the fantasy world, you know what that means: One. More. Week. It’s the final week before playoffs begin. If you’re still reading this I assume you’re in the race for a playoff spot. And if you’re not, well…you’re the best kind of person. Thank you. Keep fighting even though the ship is now sunk (I’m doing this in a staff league. Gotta get as many points as possible to make my case that fantasy football involves incredible luck. Fourth most points in a 14-team league but miss the playoffs? Wasn’t my fault.). So, as we prep our playoff rosters, there are plenty of targets to either deepen your bench or shore up your FLEX spot. And guess what? A lot of the names are the EXACT same as last week. I TOLD YOU SO! Pick them up! I beg of you.

Here are the top targets to, well…target heading into Week 13!

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Working the Wire, Week 12: Let the Boyd Watch!

November 22, 2016 | 2016 Fantasy Football, 2016 Waiver Wire | 55 Comments

by: M@

‘I can feel it all the way down in my plums.’ I bet you did, Ashley Schaffer, but if you’re name A.J. Green you felt it a little lower down in your hamstring…

Week 11 was highlighted by nothing more than injuries. A.J. Green, LeSean McCoy, Giovani Bernard, C.J. Prosise, Jay Cutler all suffered big injuries that will at least cost fantasy owners their services for the next few weeks, if not the whole season. Or, in the case of that final name that I will not write again, the rest of fantasy football ever. See ya later Cutler! For real, though, these big injuries open up some big windows for new players to step in. However, when examining the positional situation behind the injured stars there’s not a lot available. That is, unless your name is Tyler Boyd.

The rookie was a dark horse, late-round flier in draft season, primed to take the reins as the second option opposite of A.J. Well, that didn’t exactly pan out, and Boyd’s ownership is now under 1%. As of Tuesday morning. I’d imagine 24 hours from now his number jumps significantly after Green’s injury took him out for most of the game and Boyd responded with a 6/54/1 on 8 targets. You can go for Brandon LaFell all you want, but if I’m targeting some Bengals receivers I’d target the two Tylers the most: Eifert and Boyd.

So, it’s those two (Eifert as a trade option, obviously), and here are the other top targets to, well…target heading into Week 12!

Please, blog, may I have some more?

World Wide FAAB, Week 12: Walk Like A Bengal

November 22, 2016 | 2016 Fantasy Football, 2016 Waiver Wire | 15 Comments

by: RotoLance

I’ve got a running back heavy edition of FAAB waiver claims to consider, along with a pair of wide receivers. In case you don’t know what I’m doing with this week’s title, an 80s band called the Bangles wrote a song called Walk Like An Egyptian. It was a hit, don’t you know! There’s also a relevant Philadelphia Eagles player, so how about a Fly Like An Eagle reference? This Sunday’s games featured some injuries that can be acted on. Tyler Boyd and Brandon LaFell now need to be owned in 12-team and deeper leagues. Rex Burkhead can be considered in some leagues. Wendell Smallwood received a bunch of carries and should once again receive more than his usual workload.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Working the Wire, Week 11: The Kaep is Back!

November 15, 2016 | 2016 Fantasy Football, 2016 Waiver Wire | 21 Comments

by: M@

Drew Brees. (23.83 fantasy ppg in RCL scoring on Yahoo)
Aaron Rodgers.
Tom Brady.
Matt Ryan.
Ben Roethlisberger.
Andrew Luck.
Cam Newton.
Marcus Mariota.
Colin Kaepernick.
Dak Prescott. (19.78 fppg)

This is the Top 10 ranking of average fantasy points per week from QBs. Solid list, but one of these is not like the other. Sure, you could argue the rookie Prescott shouldn’t be in there, but we’ve seen for 10 weeks now that he’s completely legit. Mariota? Nope, there were a lot of paths that could have ended up with him getting here. But nestled in there at #9 is Mr. Kaepernick himself. And who in their right mind would have ever thought in the everest of evers just two months ago that he’d be here? Buried behind Blaine Gabbert, and 6 feet under the scrutiny/scolding of the national media, Kaepernick was relegated to a borderline cut coming out of camp, and a for sure release after this season ends. Would he ever see the field again as an NFL QB? That was an actual question with a lot of credence in early September. Yet, after 10 weeks, the Kaep is back as a top QB option in fantasy football. Surprised? You shouldn’t be.

But he’s not the only one, just the first. Here are the top targets to, well…target heading into Week 11!

Please, blog, may I have some more?

World Wide FAAB, Week 11: Meredith and Royal (Da Bears)

November 15, 2016 | 2016 Fantasy Football, 2016 Waiver Wire | 21 Comments

by: RotoLance

Chicago Bears wide receiver Cameron Meredith (81) is tackled by Miami Dolphins linebacker Spencer Paysinger (42) during the second half of an NFL preseason football game in Chicago, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

The Bears have been trash this season. Now they have a possible Jordan Howard injury and an Alshon Jeffery suspension which creates a FAAB spending opportunity. I can’t say for certain whether we should pick up Bears running backs Jeremy Langford or Ka’deem Carey because I can’t say whether Howard is injured. My take on whether John Fox is truthful is “Nah, he ain’t ever been”. I’m with Howard on this one and that means the Jeffery suspension is our primary interest. It puts at least two players in the spotlight, Cameron Meredith and Eddie Royal. Marquess Wilson is also interesting if he’s going to play. Time to look at the waiver wire and spend some FAAB.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Working the Wire, Week 10: Up in The Woods

November 8, 2016 | 2016 Fantasy Football, 2016 Waiver Wire | 28 Comments

by: M@

I’m up in the woods, I’m down on my mind
I’m building a sill to slow down the time.

Bon Iver penned the words and performed it first, then Kanye West went and blewed it all up with a dope remix for his ‘Lost in the World’ track a few years ago. Now, when I’m in the woods, I’m not sure that I pull Chris Pine in Into The Woods like you see above (sorry for that?), but I know it’s definitely a place to reset your thoughts and re-aim your efforts.

Nine weeks into the fantasy football season we could all probably take a little trip up in the woods. Whether it’s readying yourself for a playoff push, climbing out of the middle…

Please, blog, may I have some more?

World Wide FAAB, Week 10: Freedom Of FAAB

November 8, 2016 | 2016 Fantasy Football, 2016 Waiver Wire | 29 Comments

by: RotoLance

I’m writing this during Monday Night Football. You’ll (hopefully) be reading this on voting day. It’s a #big day (believe me). Those of us that play in FAAB leagues are free from the tyranny of “reset to inverse order of standings” waiver claims. Free from the passivity of “continual rolling list” waiver claims. We have freedom of FAAB. Freedom to choose Kapri Bibbs or Peyton Barber or Eli Rogers…

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Working the Wire, Week 9: The Man in the Hightower

November 1, 2016 | 2016 Fantasy Football, 2016 Waiver Wire | 41 Comments

by: M@

While everyone is clamoring over Westworld (and for good reason…including our weekly Football Podcast!), a show with a little less fanfare, but just as intriguing of a plot, made its debut last year: The Man in the High Castle. Amazon’s alternate universe time piece won’t get the hype of Westworld, but the premise, the acting and the twists are just as dynamic. Before Season 2 debuts in December, it’s worth the binge.

Binging before December should happen every year. And no, not just through the gluttony of Thanksgiving. The weeks leading up to December are the final week of the fantasy football regular season, and now that we’re officially into November that means we’ve hit the home stretch of making your squad better. Can you recover from 2-6 to make the playoffs? Yep. In 2013 I began 2-6 and then rode Jamaal Charles greatest season to five straight wins for the 7th seed, then three more through the playoffs for the belt. I don’t see Jamaal doing that this year, as he’s visiting the three worst words in sports this week: Dr. James Andrews. But in his stead, There’s a New Chief in Westworld (the other title for this article I almost went with) that you can binge before the playoffs. Or…like last year you can ride a player into December that coincides with a certain Amazon show. From now until early December, it’s more than worth your time to stream The Man in the High~~Castle~~tower.

Here are the top targets to, well… target for Week 9!

Please, blog, may I have some more?

World Wide FAAB, Week 9: A.M. Wake Up Call

November 1, 2016 | 2016 Fantasy Football, 2016 Waiver Wire | 7 Comments

by: RotoLance

FAAB can be tricky. There’s a lot more nuance with FAAB waivers than waiver priority based waiver claims. This time of year it’s much more difficult for me to put price recommendations on these players because it really depends on your situation. There are some running backs this week that will be useful for another 1-2 weeks. Then there are some players that might not be useful until another 2-3 weeks. There are better acquisitions than Alfred Morris this week, but I think he is still under the radar, that’s why I highlighted him in the title and picture.

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Working the Wire, Week 8: TY-ing Up Your RB Issues

October 25, 2016 | 2016 Fantasy Football, 2016 Waiver Wire | 92 Comments

by: M@

Positional flexibility is so incredible. It gives you so many options, and shallows out the need for your bench. Targeting players that carry multiple positions is a sneaky tactic to winning your fantasy league. In baseball.

But would ya look at that…here we are in Week 8 of the fantasy football season and it’s the positional flexibility that’s adding value to players, and elevating a certain someone above the rest of the Pack (pun intended) as we look for targets leading into the second half of the season. Having troubles at the RB position due to the overall suck of the position, the quagmire that is timeshares in the backfield, or the myriad of injuries that could have ravaged your squad? No fear, Green Bay’s providing all the assistance you’ll need by getting creative with their own backfield problems. And giving us something we haven’t had in three weeks as we work the wire…

Here are the top targets to, well…target for Week 8!

Please, blog, may I have some more?